We would like to welcome you to the Website of Project Lighthouse Gambia Company Limited by Guarantee (PLG). We are a social enterprise incorporated in The Gambia under the Companies Act, 2013, with the company number 2015/C2355. Before PLG got transformed into a social enterprise in August 2015, the organisation operated as charitable organisation in The Gambia since 2009.

Project Lighthouse Gambia pursues the purpose to support The Gambia with its development of sustainable infrastructure such as renewable energy, CDM & environment, capacity building and job creation and the trade sector. PLG wants to build up shining example projects for (West) Africa which shows that Africa has a chance to become an aid independent continent.

PLG belongs to the Project Lighthouse Africa family whereat the headquaters is a registered non-profit society in Munich/Germany.

On this website you find essential information about objectives, the board of trustees and PLG projects.

Project Lighthouse Africa on Facebook

Fundraising campaign for the project 'Waste Collecting Points in The Gambia"

Sukuta - We have started a fundraising campaign on the fund raising platform betterplace.org for our pilot project "Waste Collecting Points in The Gambia". The project aims to improve the waste management in The Gambia. The Waste Collecting Points will make an important contribution to environmental protection, will improve the waste situation in municipalities and at a first attempt will seperate systematically organic and other waste. Further information about the project and donation options you will find on betterplace.org or here on our website.

Waste Clearing Operation at Wellingara

Aaron Leng from DBO (left), Matthias Duchscherer from PLG (middle) and one of the workers (right) in front of 600 tonnes of waste in the middle of the dwelling zone of Wellingara.

Wellingara - On help request of the Gambian Ministry of Environment the Dresden Banjul Organisation (DBO) and Project Ligthouse Gambia (PLG) organised and executed a waste clearing operation at Wellingara / The Gambia. The wild dumpsite was located in the middle of the dwelling zone, in direct neighbourhood of the local market, the kindergarten and the upper basic school. The 7 hour operation included the clearance of approx. 600 tonnes of waste, transported to Bakoteh landfill by a fleet of six trucks in more than 10 trips.

The clearing operation is the first visible collaboration with our partner NGO Dresden-Banjul Organisation (DBO) in the Gambia. DBO and Project Lighthouse Gambia organised and executed a clearing operation of a wild dumpsite at Wellingara end of April 2015. More of these clearing operations need to be done. We are looking for funds and sponsors.

An interview with Aaron Leng from DBO about the joint waste clearing operation with DBO, PLG and Brikama Area Council at Wellingara/Gambia end of April is available on our youtube channel. The interview is in German language.

"Digital Africa" Gambia Workshop: ICT-based Local Information and Communication Systems for Sustaining Development

Prof. Dr. Martin Emmer, Free University of Berlin, opens the BMBF Gambia Workshop with an introduction about the planned international research project.

Serekunda - First "Digital Africa" Gambia workshop kicked off in December 2013 about ICT for Development at YMCA conference room in Serrekunda. Prof. Dr. Martin Emmer (FU Berlin), Matthias Duchscherer (FU Berlin) and Dr. Yves J.M. Lamour (UTG) chaired the one day panel. The workshop series in the Gambia, Kenya and Germany is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). With a range of projects, the research initiative „Digital Africa“ aims to make a contribution to the closure of the research gap, by drawing a comprehensive picture of the usage of ICTs by sub-Saharan African citizens. High ranked representatives of West Coast Radio, Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure, The Association of Non Governmental Organisations, University of the Gambia, Kanifing Municipal Council and ICT Experts discussed the role of ICT for development and the setting of an international research project.

Project kick off: ICT-based Local Information and Communication Systems for Sustaining Development

The research project is sponsored by the German Ministry of Education and Research.

Berlin / Nairobi / Banjul - With the first research and contact visit in Nairobi, an international research project with FU Berlin, University of Nairobi, University of the Gambia and Project Lighthouse Africa kicked off on 7th November 2013.
In the project funded by the German Ministry of Research and Education the research team is currently exploring the viability of an international comparative research project on the use of digital and mobile media in European and African countries.
The research question focuses on the role of communication and media use in the context of infrastructure and development projects and includes researchers from Universities in Germany, The Gambia, Kenya and Sierra Leone as well as business partners and civic organizations. Project Lighthouse Gambia as regional partner is responsible for host support and the networking with local partners in Gambia and West Africa. Further information: here

New Project Movie "Landfill and Bio Gas CHP Project in the Gambia" available

The project movie and further clips are available on our website in the "Projects" section.

Munich / Kanifing - A movie about the project "Landfill and Bio Gas Combined Heat and Power Unit in the Gambia" has been released on our YouTube Channel youtube.com/ProLightAfrica. The 7 minutes clip presents background information about the current waste and energy situationin the Gambia as well as first joined activities between ProLightAfrica, ProLightGambia and Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC).

The clip was produced by :haegar, a German video artist and producer from media company Medienpalast Landau.

Agreement about the collaboration between Project Lighthouse Gambia and DBO.

Sukuta - In August 2012 Project Lighthouse Gambia and Dresden Banjul Organisation (DBO) have agreed on a close collaboration, fostering and implementing joint environmental protection, waste management and public awareness projects in the Gambia.

DBO is operating as a registered international NGO in the Gambia. The organisation is engaged in school, health and other projects, which are relevant to society. A main activity is DBO's "Operation Feed the People", where DBO provides poor people in hospitals with food. As a result of DBO's adjusted objectives, the organisation is going to engage in sustainable and longterm projects, like public awareness and sensitisation programs.

Waste flow database presented to KMC

Discussion of the first analytic results of the waste flow data base at Kanifing Municipal Council plenum meeting in June 2012.

Kanifing - In June 2012 Matthias Duchscherer, President of Project Lighthouse Africa, and Dr. Yves Lamour, University of the Gambia, presented first analytic results of the established waste flow database to Kanifing Municipal Council during their plenary meeting. Currently Project Lighthouse Gambia and KMC are revising and enhancing the data collection for reducing bias factors.

As the first such organization Project Lighthouse Africa has established, in close cooperation with the Waste Management Department of Kanifing Municipal Council, a valid database for the volume and the flow of waste, generated in the KMC area.

Bakoteh - On behalf of Project Lighthouse Africa e.V. Lead Engineer Dipl.-Ing. Klaus-Arno Herzberg carried out a first survey and measure¬ment of gas potential of the Waste Disposal Site Bakoteh at the end of 2011. High level talks with KMC representatives and visits of the newly constructed fish market supplemented the survey. Mr Herzberg’s evaluation and potential assessment for further development in relation to the landfill project was positive.

This engineering consultancy operates internationally and has extensive experience in the development of CDM and Environmental projects, reclamation of Waste Disposal sites, as well planning, realization, and control of Renewable Energy projects.

First Green Desert workshop and researches at PLG’s Training and Knowledge Centre (VTC)

Robert Strey from Green Desert shows the volunteer workers Ebrahima Samusa and Yaya Jallow how to produce organic fertiliser. After the four weeks workshop the volunteers have been able to produce their own fertiliser and gained experience in seedling breeding and planting on the experimental training field of ProLightGambia’s VTC area.

New Yundum - During a first Green Desert workshop in May 2011 a team from ProLightAfrica’s partner organisation Green Desert e.V. has trained volunteer workers from ProLightGambia's Vocational Training and Knowledge Centre (VTC) at New Yundum in the Gambia.
The training was focused on the production of fertiliser with local available material, construction of a fertiliser station and the experimental seedling breeding and planting by using fertilised soil.
Mr. Robert Strey, a senior student in geology and soil science and Mrs. Bianca Kummer, a landscape architecture candidate, spent more than three weeks in the West African Country. Goal of the excursion was a first feasibility study for Green Desert projects like innovative farming techniques, mechanical pump systems, wind generators and compost toilets. Green Desert e.V. is a charitable science and technology association based and registered in Hannover, Germany.

CDM project at Bakoteh: MoU between ProLightAfrica, ProLightGambia and KMC

Joint signature of the MoU.

Kanifing - With the joint signature of the Memorandum of Understanding between Kanifing Municipality Council, Project Lighthouse Gambia and Project Lighthouse Africa e.V. the foundation has been laid for the landfill gas combined heat and power (CHP) unit project at Bakoteh landfill in the Gambia. The project will be implemented in the Kanifing Municipality which represents more than 1/3 of Gambia’s population and which is the economy centre of the West African country. The CHP will contribute to a more stable and ecological responsible power supply to Gambia’s population and economy. More information about the project you can find here.

Cooperation between ProLightAfrica e.V. and Green Desert e.V.

Agreement about Green Desert support of ProLightGambia’s VTC in New Yundum / The Gambia.

Hannover - In March 2011 Project Lighthouse Africa e.V. and Green Desert e.V. have agreed on a close cooperation fostering different projects in Gambia and Kenya. One of the first collaboration projects will be a workshop at ProLightGambia’s Vocational Training and Knowledge Centre in New Yundum / The Gambia. A Green Desert team will travel to Gambia in May 2011 for a first exploration and facility study at the VTC.

Green Desert e.V. is a charitable science and technology association based and registered in Hannover, Germany. The organisation is engaged in open source knowledge transfer and development of customised solutions for renewable energy production, water management, water treatment and sustainable farming. All concepts are realised with locally available materials and are planned for easy adaption by the local population. Green Desert benefits from different skills and knowledge of its members - students, Ph.D. candidates, scientists, engineers, project managers and master craftsmen in relevant disciplines.

Kanifing / New Yundum - A deligation from Germany and Canada visited the ProLightGambia Vocational Training Centre (VTC) in October 2010. They got an introduction to the concept of the VTC by Pamodou S. Jallow, Country Director of ProLightGambia and Matthias Duchscherer, President of ProLightAfrica. The deligation is representing a consortium of companies which are operating in the field of infrastructure and health. The delegation was impressed of the ongoing construction work and the good job of the volounteers and the community.

Project Lighthouse Africa formated as umbrella association in Germany

Munich - Project Lighthouse Africa e.V. was formated as international operating umbrella organisation in Germany in Dezember 2009. Since 18th February 2010 Project Lighthouse Africa e.V. is registered under the number VR 202798 at the Register of Associations of Munich. ProLightAfrica will join the different operating branches of Project Lighthouse as international headquater. Project Lighthouse Gambia and Project Lighthouse Kenya are currently working as regional NGOs in West and East Africa. For further information about ProLightAfrica klick the icon in the navigation bar.